Queen Elizabeth I authorizes England's first official recorded lottery. It's designed to raise money for the (That means for "the good of the country," we think.) Each ticket holder wins a prize — which include silver and other valuables.
Australia's first lottery begins as a private affair in Sydney, before moving to other areas such as Queensland and Victoria. The government would start its own lottery in 1916 in order to raise money for charities and public projects. Early proceeds help WWI veterans.
Canada's Olympic Act, an effort to prepare for the 1976 Games in Montreal, allows the Organizing Committee to sell tickets nationwide. All funds go to either finance the Games, or the development of amateur sport in the contributing provinces.
Prime Minister John Major's government sets up a new state-sponsored lottery, with TV host Noel Edmonds presiding over the first drawing in 1994. Since then, proceeds have gone to over 535,000 causes including the Paralympic Games and 2012 London Olympics.
Lucky Scratch tallies 34 million U.S. plays during the first few weeks after launch. The game reaches the #1 spot for "Best New Free Casino Game" in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.
